Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the scandalous reportsof the fat paychecks, allowances, perks and other benefits being enjoyed by the higher-ranking officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) andthe Philippine National Police (PNP) and former Defense secretary and nowDepartment of Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief Angelo Reyes are sureto exacerbate the already widespread demoralization among the rank-and-file ofthe AFP and the PNP.

Beltran said that the exposes regarding the corruption in the military andpolice institutions is making ordinary police officers and soldiers questionthe integrity of their top officials, as well as the credibility of theMacapagal-Arroyo government. He said that it was ironic and insulting at the same time that even that Malacanang and its allies in Congress appeal tothe rank-and-file to keep themselves in-check and allow themselves to bemanipulated by the reports, the reports keep getting worse and worse, and thearguments of corruption more and more convincing.

"Malacanang and its allies exhort the rank-and-file of the AFP and the PNP toremain loyal when as the days pass it's becoming evident that corruption reallydoes envelop the very same institutions the executive wants the PNP and AFP menand women to be loyal to," he said.

Beltran said that the scandalous reports of excessive and undeserved paychecksof the higher officials give the smaller criminals in uniform a twisted reasonto remain corrupt in their own small-scale way. He said that for years, variouspolice sergeants and captains and low-ranking police and military officialshave been charged with running or protecting the jueteng or drug syndicates incollusion with local government officials. Now, recent reports exposesmall-time these rackets are. How can there be reforms in the PNP and the AFPwhen the topmost levels can't even be cleaned out of corruption?"

Beltran expressed strong disagreement with the assertion of Malacanangspokesperson Ignacio Bunye that the corruption allegations against DILG's Reyeswere made-up and were being issued as mere propaganda calls.

"What's a flimsy and empty propaganda call is Malacanang's declaration thatit's against corruption and that it is sincere in the fight to have it wiped out from the bureaucracy," he said. "Angelo Reyes is yet another Malacanangfavorite who will always be protected by the President. Reyes is an effectivehenchman of Malacanang in its campaign of subservience to the US' militarydictates; nevermind that he utilizes the shadiest and underhanded tactics.His latest deployment in the DILG gives him greater power as he will also havethe PNP and the AFP at his beck and call. Now, with his clout in Malacanangtried and tested, Reyes is certain to perpetrate even worse acts of corruption.He can be certain, however, that he will in the watchlist of everyanti-corruption watchdog group apart from being the target of human rightsorganizations," he concluded.#